Rangers Key Matchups as Lineup Set for Angels Showdown with Ryan Johnson

The Texas Rangers have set their lineup for the second game of their four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texas Rangers needed 10 innings to beat the Los Angeles Angels on the road for the first time this season on Monday.

Now, the Rangers (60-59) return to Angel Stadium for Game 2 of the series in the same place they started Monday — in second place in the AL West.

The Houston Astros nearly lost to the San Francisco Giants on Monday night, a loss that would have propelled the Rangers into first place in the division. But the Astros, like the Rangers, staged a rally in extra innings and won the first game of their series with the Giants.

The Rangers enter Tuesday's action one-half game back of the Astros in the division and 1.5 games ahead of the field for the final AL wild card berth.

Meanwhile, in Anaheim, interim general manager John Mozeliak made waves on Tuesday by firing Angels pitching coach Mike Maddux — who was the Rangers pitching coach for the 2023 World Series run — along with his staff, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

The good news for the Rangers is that the Angels are starting a right-handed pitcher and that allows them to get left-handed hitters like Joc Pederson and Evan Carter back in the lineup after two straight games against left-handed pitching. The Angels are expected to start right-handers in each of the final three games of the series.

The Rangers will start left-hander Cody Bradford, who will make his second start of the season. Texas still has not set starting pitchers for Wednesday or Thursday in the wake of moving starter Nathan Eovaldi to the injured list on Monday.

Rangers Lineup for Aug. 11, 2026

Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

DH Joc Pederson (L)

LF Wyatt Langford

SS Corey Seager (L)

RF Brandon Nimmo (L)

3B Ezequiel Duran

CF Evan Carter (L)

1B Jake Burger

C Austin Wynns

2B Nicky Lopez (L)

Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels

Where: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, Calif.

Tuesday: 8:38 p.m. — TV: Rangers: Rangers Sports Network, can be streamed on BZZR; Angels: ABTV

Radio: Rangers: KRLD 1080, KFLC 1270; Angels: KLAA 830, Angels ES

Starting Pitchers

Tuesday: Texas LHP Cody Bradford (0-0, 0.00) vs. Angels RHP Ryan Johnson (2-6, 7.11)

Three Rangers Matchups to Watch

Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter celebrates with second baseman Nicky Lopez. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Evan Carter: Carter is back with the right-handed Johnson on the mound. The pair have never met each other in the Majors. At one point Carter was one of the hotter hitters in the lineup but that’s tailed off. He doesn’t have a hit in his last 19 at-bats. This is an opportunity for him turn that around, or else Cameron Cauley will get more playing time.   

Joc Pederson: Pederson has never faced Johnson. He’s been quite the catalyst this season as the leadoff hitter against right-handers, but it’s worth nothing that he needs a good game. He’s slashed .150/.190/.300 in his last seven games. But he’s finding a way to maintain power. He has four home runs in his last 15 games and nine in his last 30.

Jake Burger: Burger is one of the few Rangers that have faced Johnson, but he has just one at-bat without a hit. His batting average is perking up. In his last 30 games he is batting .202. In his last 15 games he is batting .220. In his last seven he’s up to .238. He needs to keep trending in that direction.